Motors & Drivers definition
The Utmel Electronic range of electric motors has a variety of high quality solutions to suit your application. Featuring a wide range of motor types that are more adaptable and diverse than ever before, it is important to select the correct motor and peripherals to maximize the performance of your system. An essential component of switching devices and relays, a solenoid is a wire coil that functions as an electromagnet when charged, converting electrical energy to mechanical. You're likely to find solenoids in many devices such as interlocks, starter motors, actuators and valves.
Types of electric motors
Electric motors are used in motion control applications to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Typically DC electric motors are available in either brushed or brushless types. Brushless requires less maintenance as the brushes do not require replacement, and usually spin faster than brushed motors. The RS Components range includes the most commonly used types of electric motors.
AC/DC Motors - Available in either brush and brushless types and synchronous and asynchronous.
AC/DC Geared Motors - Suitable where a specific RPM output is required.
Servo Motors - Allow for precise control of angular or linear position, velocity and acceleration.
Stepper Motors - Where motor speed is required to be in discrete steps.
Some motors may be directly controlled using a variety of techniques, such as attaching the power supply to them and turning it on. But if we need use Motor Drivers to control these motors with other controllers like microcontrollers, wireless systems.
Motor Driver
Motor drivers serve as a connection between motors and control circuits. The controller circuit operates on low current signals, but the motor requires a large amount of current. The purpose of motor drivers is to convert a low-current control signal into a higher-current signal capable of driving a motor.
Examples of Motor Driver
Low-current motor drivers, such as the L293D Motor and L298N, are available.
Because it is ideally suited for low current motors such as BO motors widely used in tiny autonomous robots, L293D is employed in many shields such as Starter Shield, Xbee Shield, and Auton Shield.
The L298N board is a twin motor driver that may be used to connect motors that take up to 2 amps of electricity, such as Basic Gear motors and BO Motors.
Types of solenoids
Linear solenoids - they are made from a wire coil wrapped in a corkscrew around a moveable metal core.
Tubular solenoids -they also create a push-pull force on a metallic core, using much the same principle. However, the tubular solenoid is encased in a metallic sleeve, helping minimize magnetic flux leakage.
Rotary solenoids-they again utilize a wire coil around a metal core, but in this case the core is disc-mounted.
